A preliminary evaluation of cytotoxicity, antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of Polygonum hydropiper L. ethanolic leaf extract

Polygonum hydropiper L. is used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh. Juice of leaves is used in headache, pain, toothache, liver enlargement, gastric ulcer, dysentery, loss of appetite and dysmenorrhea; roots are used as stimulant; juice is applied to wounds, skin. In this study, we analyze the cytotoxicity property of aerial parts of the plant along with antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity. Cytoxicity was determined by brine shrimp lethality assay and antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests. Antinociceptive activity was determined by observing decreases in abdominal writhings in intraperitoneally administered acetic acid-induced pain model in mice. Administration of ethanol extract of leaf led to dose-dependent and significant reductions in blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded mice. Blood sugar levels…